Episode 1 Trust Me, I'm a Doctor


Episode 1

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We are constantly being told how to live our lives.

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But what's the health advice you can really trust?

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In this series, we use our expertise to guide you

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through the contradictions and the confusion.

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We'll get to the heart of the debate.

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And ensure you get the information you need.

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We're here when you don't know where to turn.

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I'm Michael Mosley. In this series, I'm joined by a team of doctors.

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Together, we'll cut through the hype, the headlines, and the health claims.

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This is Trust Me, I'm A Doctor.

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It's a new year and a new you.

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So welcome to a special edition of Trust Me, I'm A Doctor,

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coming from Manchester,

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a city where apparently people have increased their activity

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levels more in the last year than anywhere else in the UK.

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To welcome the New Year, we start with a cheat's guide to exercise.

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We'll show you how to burn more fat without more effort,

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how to tone up your body without hitting the gym.

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You can make it harder by going slower.

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We'll discover what detoxing really does to you,

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which festive leftovers you shouldn't reheat,

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and a blind woman sees in the New Year thanks to a bionic eye.

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Oh, my God!

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But first...

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As a medical journalist, I'm well aware of the benefits of exercise.

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But I also know that most people do not come remotely close to

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doing the recommended levels.

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So in this edition, we're going to be looking at ways to get

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the maximum benefit with the minimum effort.

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At this time of year, the get-fit message is everywhere.

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Along with lots of things that supposedly help.

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So Dr Chris van Tulleken has been tracking down the truth

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behind one of the most popular fitness products out

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there on the market.

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A lot of people use a protein supplement drink.

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Those drinks are made of this stuff.

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This is protein powder.

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Protein supplements became popular in California in the '70s and '80s.

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Once the preserve of giant bodybuilders,

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today they're sold to everyone

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to keep protein levels up and avoid muscle wastage as we grow older.

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And the marketing is working.

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Today, it's a £7 billion industry worldwide,

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with one in 20 taking them in late-middle age.

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But are we all being conned out of our money?

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Do you actually need more protein in your diet?

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To find out, I've come to Glasgow

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to put protein supplements to the test.

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The tempting theory behind supplements is that the protein

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in them goes straight into your muscles,

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keeping all of us in youthful vigour.

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All this is based on the idea that powders like this provide

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protein in a form that your muscles find easy to use, but is that true?

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Time for me to put in some effort

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under the supervision of Dr Stuart Gray.

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That is the proper burn. That is the full leg on fire.

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Keep it going. Keep pushing.

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I'm done. I'm done.

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Thanks, Stu.

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So now I'm going to drink a supplement drink

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and if what the manufacturers claim is true,

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then the protein from the drink is going to go

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straight into my muscle and this protein drink has a twist

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because the proteins in it are labelled chemically,

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so we can trace them as they go from my mouth to the muscle. Right.

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Just drink this?

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To trace the proteins from the drink,

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we actually need to look inside my leg muscles.

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Look away now if you're squeamish.

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Oh, my Lordy!

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Because unfortunately for me,

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that means a very large needle to take a sample from deep in my leg.

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I've only exercised one leg,

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so Stuart's taking a sample from the other leg, too, as a control.

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Then he can compare the two.

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Do proteins from supplements actually go into our muscles at all?

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And if so, does it happen more when we're exercising?

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-Was it worth it? Did you get a result?

-We did, yes.

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What we saw was because we had labelled the protein that

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was in the drink, we could trace its movement through the body.

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So we saw it going into the muscle samples that we took from your legs.

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Really? That's quite surprising to me.

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Relatively quickly, as well.

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Because we only... Two or three hours we took the biopsy samples.

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It can quite quickly get into your muscle, yeah.

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And the key question, I guess, is did more of it end up in this

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leg which I exercised than in the other leg, which I didn't?

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It did, yes. So we had about 13% more of the labelled protein going

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into the exercised leg compared to your leg that you'd rested.

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Why does this muscle, when it has been exercised, need more protein?

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I'm sure, as you felt, when you exercised that muscle,

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it was painful. It was tired. So you caused slight damage to that muscle.

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It's all part of the process of building new muscle,

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so you slightly damage it and it is then repaired and it becomes...

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It is repaired bigger and stronger.

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I think that's really surprising.

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It's almost like Popeye, isn't it?

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You know, I eat the thing and then my muscles get bigger.

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So at first glance, there seems to be an unquestionable logic.

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The proteins go straight from the drink into our muscles, so they

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must be getting a boost, but for me that's not the end of the story.

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At Trust Me, I'm A Doctor, we're

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deeply suspicious of any claims of unquestionable scientific logic.

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So we're going to put protein supplements to the test.

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Do they really give you bigger, stronger muscles?

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Find out later in the programme,

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when we'll be doing a proper trial to find out once and for all.

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Exercise is something we hear a lot of at this time of year.

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We're told we should do at least 150 minutes of exercise a week.

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On top of that, the NHS recommends doing a couple of sessions

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of resistance exercise a week to build and maintain strength.

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Resistance exercises improve muscular fitness.

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But they have limited appeal.

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Do you fancy some weight training? A little bit of weights?

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Do you fancy some weight training?

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Weights? No.

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I think most people find the idea of pumping iron rather intimidating.

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Plus not that many people actually want bulging biceps, so how can

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you get the benefits of resistance exercise without going down the gym?

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The benefits we are after have nothing to do with a washboard

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stomach or a sixpack.

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Sadly, as we enter our 40s, our bodies get worse at building

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and maintaining muscle.

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So as we get older, we get weaker.

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But how bad does it get?

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At the University of Nottingham, Dr Philip Atherton is going to

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take a peek inside my 58-year-old thigh.

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-If I move around a bit?

-If you contract there, you can

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actually see that the muscle fibre angles sort of change and tip

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and that is the sort of contraction of the muscle.

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That's cool. I've never seen that before.

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So if I don't do anything much with

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it from my age now, that' just going to get smaller, is it?

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-Essentially, given that you're 50 now, Michael...

-50+.

-50+, OK.

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..you would be expecting in essence to lose around 5% on average

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of muscle mass per decade. It could even exceed that.

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This is the time at which muscle really,

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really starts to decline in mass, so what we would expect to see is

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if we were to measure this decade by decade, we would probably see

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that that muscle would get thinner and thinner over time.

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From the age of 40,

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we can lose up to 1% of our muscle mass every single year.

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And that loss affects more than just our strength.

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If you look in very, very large-scale studies,

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one of the best predictors of poor health in older age

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and even early death is actually muscle mass.

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It's all sounding rather depressing. But there is some good news.

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The right exercises can slow, even reverse, this decline in strength.

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But do you have to hit the gym to do it?

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Or is there an easier way?

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With a group of intrepid volunteers, we're going to find out.

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They're all the wrong side of 40 and at risk of losing their muscles.

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We begin by testing their strength.

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And push, push, push, push! Keep going, keep going, keep going!

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These machines measure how strong their legs are

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and how much power they can release in one go.

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Ultrasound tells us how big their thigh muscles are.

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And we're also testing their grip strength.

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Together, these readings give us

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a good indication of whole body strength.

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And now, we're ready to see if we can turn back time

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and build muscle without any special equipment.

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Our volunteers have been given a set of exercises

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which are designed to fit in seamlessly with their domestic lives.

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Let me demonstrate.

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These are bicep curls with ordinary sort of household items -

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in this case, bags of flour.

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This is a classic exercise, the lunge.

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Except it's done while you're vacuuming.

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This is a toothbrush squat.

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The idea is that you're working some of the biggest muscles in the body,

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those in your bottom, and you can make it harder by going slower

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and obviously by doing more.

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Our volunteers carry out a set of eight exercises every day,

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working muscles all over their bodies.

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But will this DIY approach to resistance training really

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make a difference?

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With a month up, it's time to find out.

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We measure their strength and thigh muscle thickness again.

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And the results have certainly surprised muscle expert

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Dr Philip Atherton.

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OK. So, moment of truth.

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Whether those four weeks have actually been worth doing.

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I'm very intrigued. Where are we, then?

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So what we found with the group is basically there was a 3%

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increase in the cross-sectional area of the leg muscles.

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OK. 3%? Yeah, yeah.

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They haven't started to look like bodybuilders,

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and they're more toned.

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But have they become stronger, the important measure?

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We looked at leg strength and we were able to detect an increase,

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and, again on a group basis, this was about 12%.

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Ooh, yeah. We like that.

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-12% is a big number.

-Yeah, absolutely.

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This is again a marked increase in leg strength

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and following that as well...

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Do you think that was the squats?

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I think it could have been very much part of the reason why

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their strength increased.

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But interestingly, the power increase is similar to the muscle

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strength in that it increased 13% as a group.

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Wa-hey! So you're all dynamos.

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Can you feel that energy just surging through you now, that power?

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So a 3% increase in the area of the muscle led to a 12%

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increase in muscle strength,

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and a 13% increase in power output.

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And their grip strength also increased by 4%.

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I think that's quite incredible.

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Proof that our home training programme has really worked.

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I must admit, I am astonished that in four weeks you can see such

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big changes, particularly in things like power.

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I understand the other ones kind of matter, but that is big.

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Did you find it OK?

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Yes. Yes, you could incorporate it into your daily routine.

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Do you think you will continue?

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Yes. Certainly will do.

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Especially with the results.

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The results of these no-sweat exercises have

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delighted our volunteers.

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I do feel stronger.

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I do feel fitter after the programme,

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and I intend to keep it on.

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They are now stronger, fitter, and more resilient.

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And all our exercises can be done for free in the privacy of your own home.

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They can even be done while you're watching the telly.

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There is a full list of the exercises

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and the proper instructions on our Trust Me website.

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And now surgeon Gabriel Weston is in the New Year spirit.

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And what better way to start off a January health kick than with

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juices and smoothies?

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The biggest claim they make is that they're full of antioxidants.

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But does that really mean they're good for us?

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The message written on the side of this carton feels very clear.

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Oxidation causes damage to your cells and that if you

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drink lots of this antioxidant juice, it will protect them.

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But is that actually true?

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Antioxidants are meant to mop up free radicals,

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byproducts of chemical reactions in our cells.

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Now, for many years, free radicals have been thought to cause

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an accumulation of damage to cells,

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possibly even reducing our lifespan.

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So taking extra antioxidants should help combat this.

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But does it?

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We want to test whether juices

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and smoothies really do live up to the hype.

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So first, just how powerful is their antioxidant kick?

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Newcastle University are analysing some for us,

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and comparing them with some bog-standard orange juices.

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And the results are surprising.

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First up, the orange juices.

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Then, a fresh super-fruit smoothie - twice the price,

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but no more antioxidants.

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Next, two brands of smoothies specifically

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marketed for antioxidants.

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Still no better.

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Finally, a superfood smoothie, a whopping three times

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the antioxidant power of any of the others.

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So what's going on?

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Antioxidants might have an air of mystery about them, but if you look

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at the label on the side of one of these drinks, it's clear that most

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of the antioxidant effect is just coming from plain old vitamin C.

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Vitamin C is actually a powerful antioxidant.

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It's found naturally in most fruit and veg,

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but is also a common additive to stop juice going brown.

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There's nothing special about fruits themselves in these drinks.

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So my next question is, do the antioxidants in these drinks

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actually do anything inside our bodies?

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To find out,

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we recruited ten volunteers to do an experiment never attempted before.

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Under the guidance of Dr Kirsten Grant,

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they all drank 360ml of smoothie.

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We measured the antioxidant status of each person's blood

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beforehand so we had a baseline,

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and then regularly over the next 24 hours.

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Did the smoothie give them an antioxidant boost?

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Well, at first, the antioxidant levels in their blood did go up,

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only to plummet dramatically after 4-5 hours.

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And they even went well below baseline

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and were only just coming back to baseline after 24 hours.

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Kirsten was not surprised by the sudden drop to below baseline,

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as our bodies actually work to keep everything in perfect balance,

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including antioxidant levels.

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This balance where the body will keep the level constant,

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it's called homeostasis, and it's the same for our temperature,

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for our sugar levels,

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for everything else in the body that should have a correct level.

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Our bodies continually produce their own antioxidants.

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When we take in a big extra dose,

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our bodies slow down that production to get back to the optimum level.

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But what Kirsten had not expected was that it would take so long.

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For almost a day after drinking just a big glass of smoothie of juice,

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our volunteers' blood contained less antioxidant power than normal.

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It's the opposite effect from what most of us would expect.

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And lower antioxidant levels presumably mean more free

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radicals in our bodies.

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But Kirsten thinks the messages we get from the adverts are even

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more misleading,

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as free radicals are not such a bad thing.

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So it isn't the case that all of us have got our bodies

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full of bad free radicals and the more we slosh the smoothie in,

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the more they're going to mop up those bad things in our body?

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No. Normal, healthy people have

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exactly the free radicals that they need.

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Free radicals are actually quite important.

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For example, they are one of the signal molecules that tells the

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cells in our body when you need to repair, for example, muscle fibres.

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So if you want to go to the gym and do some training,

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if it wasn't for the free radicals, your muscles wouldn't grow.

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The science and the marketing are poles apart.

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Your body makes exactly the antioxidants it needs

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and taking in a big dose merely throws it out of balance.

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While there's excellent evidence that eating fruit and vegetables

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is good for you, the benefit isn't coming from the antioxidants.

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So ignore the marketing hype, banish the detox myth,

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and stop wasting your money on all those fancy smoothies and juices.

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We contacted two leading smoothie manufacturers, who said their

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products were a convenient way of getting more fruits

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and vegetables at a time when only a third of the UK

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population are getting their five a day.

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They're confident that the vitamins

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and minerals in their antioxidant recipes contribute to

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the protection of cells from oxidative stress,

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a claim that is supported by specific European regulations.

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Their statements are published in full on our website.

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Now, for most people, the point of doing exercise is to burn excess fat.

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But what if you could do that without any extra effort at all?

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Well, we've decided to take some tantalising new research

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out of the lab and put it to a real test for the very first time.

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Over to Dr Saleyha Ahsan.

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For most of us,

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losing the spare tyre can be a bit of an uphill struggle.

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But is there a smarter way of turning our bodies into more

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efficient fat-burning machines,

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not by exercising more, but by changing the time that we do it?

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We've come across some brand-new research at the University

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of Surrey that suggests to burn more fat, you don't need to

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change your diet or how much exercise -

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the secret is knowing when to eat and when to exercise.

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First, brother and sister Josh and Jess are going to be tested

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under lab conditions as they exercise on an empty stomach.

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Neither has eaten since yesterday evening.

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So are you hungry?

0:21:090:21:11

-Starving.

-Ravenous.

0:21:110:21:14

But before they eat, they'll do half an hour of exercise and

0:21:150:21:19

Dr Adam Collins is going to measure how much fat their bodies burn.

0:21:190:21:24

And you're off.

0:21:240:21:26

This looks a bit complicated.

0:21:280:21:30

Well, what we're monitoring here is the fuels that are

0:21:300:21:33

burning during exercise, so when you're exercising, you

0:21:330:21:37

are using a combination of glucose, which is a carbohydrate, or fat.

0:21:370:21:42

You can see, he's got a face mask there

0:21:420:21:44

and we're sampling the air that he's breathing in and out.

0:21:440:21:47

In particular, we're looking at the oxygen that he's breathing in

0:21:470:21:50

and the amount of carbon dioxide he's breathing out.

0:21:500:21:52

And with those two things, we can work out how much fat he's

0:21:520:21:56

burning and how much carbohydrate he's burning.

0:21:560:21:58

So our body uses two different types of fuel.

0:22:000:22:02

Carbohydrate and fat.

0:22:020:22:05

And what we're interested in is the fat burn,

0:22:050:22:08

because that's what's key to losing the spare tyre.

0:22:080:22:12

Today, we're measuring how much fat Josh is burning

0:22:120:22:16

when he exercises before he eats.

0:22:160:22:20

Josh, how are you doing?

0:22:200:22:21

-I'm alive.

-You're alive.

0:22:210:22:24

He's still talking, which is good.

0:22:240:22:26

After 30 minutes, it's Jess' turn to jump on the bike.

0:22:300:22:33

But Josh isn't finished.

0:22:360:22:38

So what we're interested in is the impact of exercise after

0:22:400:22:43

the exercise is finished.

0:22:430:22:45

Because that's when you do most of your fat burning,

0:22:450:22:48

so most of the effect of that exercise actually

0:22:480:22:51

happens in the period after the exercise rather than during it.

0:22:510:22:55

-Tuck in. Breakfast.

-Thank you.

0:22:550:22:58

Now, Josh gets some breakfast.

0:22:580:23:00

It's in the form of a drink

0:23:000:23:03

so that the calories can be precisely controlled.

0:23:030:23:06

Meal over, Adam continues to measure how much fat Josh is

0:23:060:23:10

burning now that he is no longer exercising.

0:23:100:23:13

So that doesn't look very relaxing.

0:23:130:23:15

It's good.

0:23:150:23:17

-It's very calming underneath there.

-OK.

0:23:170:23:19

And 30 minutes later, with her exercise complete,

0:23:220:23:25

it's Jess' turn for breakfast.

0:23:250:23:28

Now, she too will have the amount of fat she's burning

0:23:280:23:31

measured for the next three hours, when she's not exercising.

0:23:310:23:36

But this isn't the first time that they've

0:23:370:23:39

undergone a test like this.

0:23:390:23:42

One week ago, Josh and Jess did almost the same thing,

0:23:450:23:49

except then they exercised after they'd had the liquid meal.

0:23:490:23:54

So now we should be able to see whether exercising before or

0:23:560:24:00

after eating is better for making your body burn fat.

0:24:000:24:04

And the results are astonishing.

0:24:070:24:09

Josh burned 10% more fat after he exercised on an empty stomach.

0:24:090:24:16

But for Jess, it was the reverse.

0:24:160:24:19

She burned more fat after she exercised on a full stomach.

0:24:190:24:23

Remarkably, it seems the secret of how to burn more fat might be

0:24:250:24:29

different for men and women.

0:24:290:24:31

It's an exciting new idea that has only

0:24:310:24:34

so far been seen in these carefully controlled laboratory conditions.

0:24:340:24:39

This is just one bout of exercise.

0:24:390:24:41

But people do repeated bouts of exercise.

0:24:410:24:43

They go to the gym on a regular basis

0:24:430:24:45

or they exercise several times a week.

0:24:450:24:48

This could have a cumulative effect

0:24:480:24:50

in terms of maximising your fat burning.

0:24:500:24:53

So we've teamed up with Adam to test his discovery in the real

0:24:540:24:57

world for the first time.

0:24:570:24:59

We want to find out if men and women really do burn fat differently.

0:24:590:25:05

Should men be exercising on an empty stomach

0:25:050:25:07

and women after they've eaten?

0:25:070:25:10

We'll find out later in the programme.

0:25:100:25:12

Still to come -

0:25:220:25:24

could having a big bum be good for you?

0:25:240:25:26

And allowing the blind to see again.

0:25:260:25:28

Honest to God, I felt like Christmas Day there!

0:25:280:25:31

But first...

0:25:310:25:33

..we're all keen to impress the friends and family we have

0:25:410:25:44

round during the festive season,

0:25:440:25:47

but with big meals come leftovers aplenty.

0:25:470:25:50

And not reheating them properly contributes to an impressive

0:25:500:25:54

surge in food poisonings at this time of year.

0:25:540:25:57

So how can we all avoid it?

0:25:580:26:00

Now, food shows don't normally deal with the subject of food poisoning.

0:26:030:26:08

But they've kindly allowed us to gatecrash their demonstration.

0:26:080:26:11

Hi, there. Good evening. Thank you for coming.

0:26:110:26:14

Are you having a good day? Good.

0:26:140:26:17

We all know we have to cook raw meat thoroughly,

0:26:170:26:20

but what are the rules for leftovers?

0:26:200:26:22

-Right. I have here a delicious curry I made a couple of days ago.

-OK.

0:26:220:26:26

Would you be happy to reheat it and eat it?

0:26:260:26:28

I'll pass on that one, then. Thank you.

0:26:280:26:31

So is it OK to be reheat it?

0:26:310:26:34

You think not? You'd go straight in the bin?

0:26:350:26:38

Would you happily heat it and eat it?

0:26:380:26:42

-Yes.

-You'd be happy?

-Yeah.

0:26:420:26:44

The Food Standards Agency suggest we only reheat our leftovers once.

0:26:450:26:51

Although you can actually reheat your leftovers as many times as you like,

0:26:510:26:56

as long as you make sure every morsel is piping hot all the way through.

0:26:560:27:01

Easy enough to do on the stove, but most of us use a microwave,

0:27:010:27:06

which leads to another common problem.

0:27:060:27:09

Microwaves create hotspots and dangerous cool spots in your food,

0:27:090:27:15

seen in red and blue on the thermal imaging camera.

0:27:150:27:18

And in the cool spots, bacteria can thrive.

0:27:180:27:22

So if you use a microwave, be sure to heat and stir and heat

0:27:220:27:26

and stir until you're satisfied it's really hot all the way through.

0:27:260:27:31

But there is one thing you should be cautious of reheating.

0:27:310:27:34

Do you think it's the rice or the chicken that's more dangerous?

0:27:340:27:37

-I would say the chicken.

-The rice.

0:27:370:27:39

-And you said rice?

-You hear a lot on TV about rice.

0:27:390:27:42

I think if I heated the chicken up, I'd be all right, but the rice...

0:27:420:27:45

My wife tells me this all the time.

0:27:450:27:47

Do not save rice under any circumstances.

0:27:470:27:49

There is a bacteria called Bacillus cereus. And that lives in rice.

0:27:490:27:54

And the thing about Bacillus cereus is that it also produces a toxin

0:27:540:27:58

and unfortunately the toxin is heat stable.

0:27:580:28:01

That means that you can heat it up, it will kill the bacteria,

0:28:010:28:05

but the toxin will get you.

0:28:050:28:07

So you can kill the bacteria,

0:28:070:28:10

but if they've already produced the toxin, that rice is going to

0:28:100:28:13

be poisonous, no matter how thoroughly you reheat it.

0:28:130:28:17

So put uneaten right in the fridge as soon as it's cooled down to

0:28:170:28:21

room temperature and only reheat it once.

0:28:210:28:24

So the rules are you can reheat food as many times as you like

0:28:270:28:32

if you heat it thoroughly all the way through.

0:28:320:28:35

The exception is rice.

0:28:350:28:37

Refrigerate that carefully and only reheat it once.

0:28:370:28:40

Do that and you should be safe. Trust me.

0:28:400:28:44

-Can't tempt you?

-No.

0:28:440:28:46

No, you're right. You can't.

0:28:460:28:48

Earlier in the programme, I set out to discover

0:28:580:29:01

whether the proteins from supplements could go straight into

0:29:010:29:04

our muscles, as the manufacturers would like us to believe.

0:29:040:29:07

And I was surprised to discover that they could.

0:29:070:29:11

And that the amount is higher with exercise.

0:29:110:29:14

But does that mean that taking

0:29:140:29:16

protein supplements gives us bigger muscles?

0:29:160:29:19

Well, to find out, we're going to do a big experiment of our own.

0:29:200:29:25

We've recruited 24 volunteers,

0:29:250:29:27

ranging in age from 20 to 67.

0:29:270:29:31

They all had a set of baseline measurements taken -

0:29:310:29:34

muscle strength, body fat composition,

0:29:340:29:36

and an ultrasound of their muscles.

0:29:360:29:38

Now, they're going to start on an eight-week training regime,

0:29:380:29:42

each gym session followed by an identical-looking drink.

0:29:420:29:45

But here's the twist.

0:29:450:29:47

While half of our volunteers are going to get a protein shake,

0:29:470:29:50

the other half are going to get a shake that appears to be

0:29:500:29:53

the same, but has no protein in it whatsoever - a placebo.

0:29:530:29:57

Lifting heavy weights three times a week should get their cells

0:29:590:30:02

releasing free radicals, signalling their bodies to repair

0:30:020:30:06

and boost their muscles.

0:30:060:30:08

But will drinking a protein shake make them grow stronger and bigger?

0:30:080:30:12

Even supervising scientist Dr Stuart Grey doesn't know

0:30:120:30:17

who's getting which shake...

0:30:170:30:19

but everyone's still happy with the regime.

0:30:190:30:21

I feel like I've got stronger, but that's just with the process

0:30:210:30:24

and working hard through the eight weeks.

0:30:240:30:27

But eight weeks later, after they're all retested,

0:30:280:30:31

-what do the results show?

-Good news.

0:30:310:30:34

Everyone got stronger, so you're all about on average 30% stronger

0:30:340:30:39

-than you were before you started.

-30%.

-30% stronger.

-You look better.

0:30:390:30:44

You looked pretty ropey before, but, you know.

0:30:440:30:47

And you're not only stronger,

0:30:470:30:48

you do have on average 1-2% more muscle mass than you did

0:30:480:30:51

when you started, so you've got bigger muscles and you're stronger.

0:30:510:30:55

What more could you want?

0:30:550:30:57

So the crucial question is,

0:30:570:30:59

did the people who had the real protein shake get stronger

0:30:590:31:04

or put on more muscle than the people who had the placebo?

0:31:040:31:07

-In short, no. Unfortunately not.

-Really?

-No.

0:31:070:31:10

No difference at all between the two groups. Everything exactly the same.

0:31:100:31:16

I must say I'm a little bit disappointed by that.

0:31:160:31:18

The extra that we were giving them

0:31:180:31:21

wasn't really making much difference at all.

0:31:210:31:24

Our results show that everyone got stronger, more able to lift weights

0:31:250:31:30

and everyone put on more muscle,

0:31:300:31:32

but there was no significant difference

0:31:320:31:34

between those that were given the protein supplements

0:31:340:31:36

and those that got placebo.

0:31:360:31:39

So, over our eight-week trial,

0:31:390:31:41

the protein shakes did not give them a benefit. This seems baffling.

0:31:410:31:46

After all, earlier in the programme, I saw first-hand how protein

0:31:460:31:50

I'd consumed in a shake went directly into my leg after exercise.

0:31:500:31:55

But, as Stuart explains, our diets are full of protein

0:31:550:31:58

and adding extra doesn't seem to help us build muscle.

0:31:580:32:02

There's a limit to what the body can cope with.

0:32:020:32:04

About 20 to 30 grams is as much as your body can take in,

0:32:040:32:08

in a single consumption.

0:32:080:32:09

Anything more, you're really going to burn it as energy,

0:32:090:32:13

oxidise it, you're going to store it as, most likely, fat

0:32:130:32:16

or you're just going to pee it out in the urine,

0:32:160:32:18

so it's not going to get into the muscle.

0:32:180:32:20

So once you've got enough protein on board, basically,

0:32:200:32:23

-anything else is turned into urine, fat or energy.

-Yeah, yeah.

0:32:230:32:29

So, it's not going to do what you want it to do.

0:32:290:32:31

Who's going to go and buy a fancy protein drink and take it?

0:32:310:32:35

-You're still going to do it.

-Get out!

0:32:360:32:38

-There's always one.

-Very nice, very nice.

0:32:390:32:42

So whilst protein from supplements can go directly into your muscles,

0:32:420:32:46

taking them isn't actually going to help you build any more muscle

0:32:460:32:50

because as long as we get enough protein in our normal diet,

0:32:500:32:54

any extra is just a waste.

0:32:540:32:55

The truth is, that none of us need to drink these protein supplements.

0:32:570:33:01

If you're getting extra protein in that way,

0:33:010:33:03

you're probably just making very expensive urine,

0:33:030:33:06

so if I were you I'd cut out the middleman.

0:33:060:33:08

Protein shakes aren't the only drinks designed for gym bunnies

0:33:220:33:26

that made their way onto supermarket shelves.

0:33:260:33:29

Energy drinks are big business.

0:33:290:33:32

We get through about 45 million litres of the stuff every year.

0:33:320:33:36

Now, they claim to keep you energised and rehydrated,

0:33:360:33:40

so what's actually in them?

0:33:400:33:41

And are they worth the money?

0:33:430:33:45

I'm going to show you how easy it is to make your own, virtually for free.

0:33:450:33:49

The first and most obvious thing you need is water.

0:33:490:33:52

Here is about half a litre of ordinary tap water.

0:33:520:33:56

That's about the same amount as you'd find in one of these bottles.

0:33:560:34:00

The next magic ingredient is sugar and each of these contains

0:34:000:34:04

the equivalent of six to eight teaspoons of sugar.

0:34:040:34:08

And because that tastes pretty unpleasant,

0:34:110:34:13

I think I'll add a little splash of orange squash.

0:34:130:34:16

If you are really working hard and sweating like crazy,

0:34:190:34:23

then you are going to be losing electrolytes

0:34:230:34:26

and how do you replace them?

0:34:260:34:28

Well, you can do so with about an eighth of a teaspoon of this stuff,

0:34:280:34:32

which is sodium chloride, also known as salt.

0:34:320:34:36

And there you have it.

0:34:390:34:40

Michael Mosley's sports drink, made out of sugar, water,

0:34:400:34:45

salt and just a hint of flavouring. Costs virtually nothing.

0:34:450:34:50

The only remaining question is

0:34:500:34:52

should I drink it before or after exercising?

0:34:520:34:55

Earlier in the programme, we discovered that the secret

0:35:050:35:08

of how to burn more fat might be different for men and women.

0:35:080:35:12

Our laboratory test on a brother and sister pair suggested that

0:35:120:35:16

men burn more fat after they've exercised on an empty stomach,

0:35:160:35:21

women on a full stomach.

0:35:210:35:22

It's a new discovery

0:35:240:35:26

and it's never been tested in the real world until now.

0:35:260:35:30

We've recruited a group of 31 volunteers.

0:35:340:35:37

They're about to embark on a four-week experiment.

0:35:370:35:40

Before they start, Adam Collins is taking a baseline measurement

0:35:410:35:45

of how much fat their bodies are burning when they're at rest.

0:35:450:35:49

Now it's time to split them into two groups.

0:35:500:35:53

Both will be given an identical breakfast -

0:35:530:35:56

a special drink with a precisely controlled number of calories.

0:35:560:36:00

Group 1 will have theirs before they exercise.

0:36:020:36:05

Group 2 will have theirs after they exercise.

0:36:050:36:08

Both groups will do exactly the same exercise programme -

0:36:080:36:12

a combination of high-intensity training,

0:36:120:36:15

Zumba, and spin classes, carried out first thing in the morning.

0:36:150:36:20

We want to test the idea that men can burn more fat

0:36:210:36:25

if they exercise on an empty stomach, women on a full stomach.

0:36:250:36:30

After four weeks of exercise, we'll take the same measurements again

0:36:300:36:34

to see if there's been any change in how much fat they're burning.

0:36:340:36:38

We want to see if shifting exercise to before or after eating

0:36:380:36:44

will have any effect in the longer term.

0:36:440:36:46

Find out later in the programme.

0:36:480:36:50

There are some medical inventions which, to me,

0:37:000:37:02

still feel like science fiction - the bionic eye, for example.

0:37:020:37:07

Well, surgeon Gabriel Weston has been following the story

0:37:070:37:10

of a woman who is about to have one

0:37:100:37:12

of the world's most advanced artificial eyes.

0:37:120:37:15

When she was just five years old,

0:37:190:37:22

Rhian Lewis was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa...

0:37:220:37:26

..a disease that damages the light-sensitive cells in the retina.

0:37:270:37:31

Her right eye is now completely blind...

0:37:330:37:36

..and her left eye is virtually without sight.

0:37:370:37:41

It's a bit like if somebody's putting a dimmer switch off

0:37:410:37:44

ever so gradually and the dimmer switch is going lower and lower

0:37:440:37:47

and lower and the light is going less and less.

0:37:470:37:50

It's been maybe eight years since I've had any idea

0:37:500:37:54

what my children look like and I certainly don't know how I've aged.

0:37:540:37:58

There is no cure for this disease,

0:38:030:38:05

but a treatment being trialled in Oxford

0:38:050:38:07

could give Rhian back some of her sight.

0:38:070:38:10

Surgeons are going to replace the damaged retinal cells

0:38:110:38:14

with an electronic chip.

0:38:140:38:16

If I had a little bit more sight,

0:38:170:38:19

I'd have a little bit more confidence and I might venture out.

0:38:190:38:22

That's my big thing.

0:38:220:38:23

Rhian is about to become the very first patient

0:38:240:38:28

in an NHS-funded trial

0:38:280:38:30

which is looking at the most advanced kind of retinal implant -

0:38:300:38:34

something that most people are beginning to know

0:38:340:38:36

as the bionic eye - and if it works, it could restore elements

0:38:360:38:41

of her vision that she thought that she had completely lost for ever.

0:38:410:38:46

The implant has been developed in Germany and the delicate task

0:38:490:38:54

of positioning it will fall to Professor Robert MacLaren.

0:38:540:38:59

We've got to get the implant in exactly the right position

0:38:590:39:01

at the back of the eye, but we also need to avoid damaging the nerve.

0:39:010:39:05

We need the nerve to send the signals from the implant

0:39:050:39:07

back into the brain

0:39:070:39:09

and that nerve is less than a millimetre from the optimal position

0:39:090:39:12

of the chip and if we move the chip a millimetre the other way,

0:39:120:39:14

we may not get very useful vision.

0:39:140:39:16

So it is absolutely critical and that's what takes a long time -

0:39:160:39:19

it's getting that position exactly right.

0:39:190:39:20

This entire process will take about ten hours.

0:39:220:39:26

Already the ENT surgeon has implanted a power supply

0:39:270:39:30

for the device behind Rhian's ear.

0:39:300:39:32

Now, Robert and his assistant, Tom Edwards,

0:39:330:39:36

can begin the intricate job of inserting the chip.

0:39:360:39:40

The chip is only three millimetres wide and the delicacy required

0:39:430:39:48

to manoeuvre it into place is extraordinary.

0:39:480:39:52

This is a very tense moment in the surgery.

0:39:550:39:57

The guide wire has been removed,

0:39:570:40:00

leaving the implant exactly where it needs to be, and Tom's holding it

0:40:000:40:05

there, absolutely still, so Robert can fix it in place.

0:40:050:40:09

Brain surgeons are always given all the credit

0:40:120:40:15

for doing the most delicate, difficult work

0:40:150:40:18

and, to my mind, these guys are absolutely up there.

0:40:180:40:20

The operation has gone well, but it's only a few weeks later -

0:40:300:40:34

when Rhian's eye has healed -

0:40:340:40:36

that she'll know whether the implant works.

0:40:360:40:39

It's a big moment, not just for her, but for the whole team.

0:40:400:40:45

-Yes, there is a pulse rather than a flash.

-Uh-huh?

0:40:470:40:50

-So shall I go down a bit further?

-You can.

0:40:500:40:53

At first, Rhian will only be able to see flashes of light.

0:40:530:40:57

That's because her brain has to learn how to see again.

0:40:570:41:01

What Rhian and others are trying to do is to reactivate

0:41:020:41:05

part of the brain that hasn't been doing anything

0:41:050:41:08

for the last ten years or so,

0:41:080:41:09

and it's almost like a rehabilitation where, you know,

0:41:090:41:12

they're learning to use something again that they hadn't had before.

0:41:120:41:15

To test for meaningful vision, the team want to know

0:41:150:41:19

if Rhian can pick out the contrasting hands on this clock.

0:41:190:41:24

I'm thinking 12...

0:41:240:41:25

..three...

0:41:290:41:30

-Mm-hm.

-I think three is longer.

0:41:320:41:35

-Have a feel.

-Oh, it is.

0:41:350:41:39

Oh, my God!

0:41:390:41:41

-Spot on.

-I got it right.

0:41:430:41:45

You did. Well done.

0:41:450:41:47

For the first time in 16 years,

0:41:480:41:51

she's got some vision in her right eye.

0:41:510:41:54

-Honest to God, I felt like Christmas Day there.

-That's perfect.

0:41:550:41:59

It's a great start and, over the next few months,

0:41:590:42:03

Rhian's brain will get better and better

0:42:030:42:06

at interpreting the signals to form an image.

0:42:060:42:09

I always think it's very nice

0:42:090:42:11

to compare that to very early TV pictures -

0:42:110:42:13

very, very grainy, black-and-white, just an outline of things,

0:42:130:42:16

moving and coming and going, compared to what we see,

0:42:160:42:19

that is a considered to be a low level of vision.

0:42:190:42:21

For someone who's completely blind, the ability to see people moving

0:42:210:42:24

around in front of them, and shapes, is an actual life-changing event.

0:42:240:42:28

-Three small, 12 big.

-OK.

0:42:280:42:30

I really didn't know what to expect, but when something actually happens,

0:42:320:42:35

you think, "Oh, my word," you know, just amazing.

0:42:350:42:39

It's now been six months since the operation

0:42:420:42:46

and although it's still early days, Rhian's brain is starting

0:42:460:42:49

to be able to understand the signals from her eye in three dimensions.

0:42:490:42:54

-So here?

-Yeah. Can you find an edge to it?

0:42:550:42:58

Oh, my God!

0:43:000:43:01

The surgery is making her dream of mobility come true.

0:43:020:43:06

Well, it's a mixture of relief and disbelief, really,

0:43:060:43:10

that we've been able to give her some vision back.

0:43:100:43:14

If our results continue to be as promising as they've been so far,

0:43:140:43:18

then it's likely that in the future

0:43:180:43:21

this device may be available on the NHS. That's the hope.

0:43:210:43:24

-No way.

-Exactly on it.

-No way.

-Exactly on it.

0:43:260:43:29

Could you just describe for me what it's felt like for you?

0:43:310:43:34

Well, I was hoping my smile would tell it all

0:43:360:43:39

because just the sensation of...

0:43:390:43:43

You're not completely helpless, that you can usually find

0:43:430:43:47

an edge of a wall and it's... Oh, I really can't put it into words.

0:43:470:43:52

I just felt elated.

0:43:520:43:54

Oh, my God.

0:43:540:43:55

Seeing Rhian using this device has been fantastic.

0:43:560:44:01

The difference it has made in just six months is astounding.

0:44:010:44:05

Now, it sounds like not very much to those of us

0:44:060:44:09

who can see everything,

0:44:090:44:11

but, in fact, for the thousands of people who suffer from these sorts

0:44:110:44:15

of debilitating eye diseases,

0:44:150:44:18

this technology is offering incredible hope.

0:44:180:44:22

There's more information on this and all the other items on the programme

0:44:220:44:25

on our website at...

0:44:250:44:27

At this time of year, we're thinking about getting healthier,

0:44:410:44:44

but how do we know what to do?

0:44:440:44:47

We're told something is good for us, then too much is bad,

0:44:470:44:51

so what are the limits? When can you have too much of a good thing?

0:44:510:44:55

I want to find out the evidence behind some of the things

0:44:570:45:00

that we hear so much about in the press...

0:45:000:45:03

..exercise, body fat, alcohol, meat.

0:45:040:45:09

This time I'm looking at fat.

0:45:090:45:12

How much is too much?

0:45:120:45:14

What are the best ways of measuring it

0:45:140:45:16

and could there be some forms of fat that are actually good for you?,

0:45:160:45:21

Government guidelines centre around a height-to-weight ratio

0:45:210:45:25

called body mass index, or BMI.

0:45:250:45:26

A BMI above 25 is considered unhealthy,

0:45:280:45:30

but BMI had been criticised as a poor measure of obesity.

0:45:300:45:35

And is all excess body fat a bad thing?

0:45:360:45:39

I've come to hear the opinions of two leading obesity experts

0:45:390:45:43

with very different points of view.

0:45:430:45:45

Professor Nicholas Finer thinks that too much body fat

0:45:460:45:50

is almost always a bad thing.

0:45:500:45:52

I would have no doubt in saying that there will be benefits

0:45:520:45:55

from losing weight.

0:45:550:45:57

However, Professor Fredrik Karpe believes that in the right place,

0:45:570:46:01

the more fat, the better.

0:46:010:46:03

The wider the hips, the more healthy you are,

0:46:030:46:07

the less diabetes you have, the less cardiovascular disease you have.

0:46:070:46:11

So how have they come to such different conclusions?

0:46:120:46:16

I want to hear their evidence.

0:46:160:46:17

Fredrik Karpe is Professor of Metabolic Medicine

0:46:170:46:20

at the Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism.

0:46:200:46:25

His research focuses on the effects of different types of fat tissue.

0:46:250:46:29

The assumption is that losing weight is always a good thing.

0:46:310:46:34

-Yes, that is an assumption.

-And it's one you're challenging?

0:46:340:46:38

I would challenge that, yes.

0:46:380:46:40

There is actually quite good evidence that

0:46:400:46:42

if you are overweight and you have no problems,

0:46:420:46:47

metabolic problems, your have no benefit from losing weight.

0:46:470:46:51

Well, that is quite a radical thought.

0:46:510:46:54

Oh, I wasn't expecting that, right.

0:46:540:46:57

Well, I don't know why there's this vilification of fat tissue,

0:46:570:47:01

because it's actually an absolutely necessary and vital organ

0:47:010:47:04

for the human body, and fat on the leg, around the gluteal area,

0:47:040:47:09

is extremely good at storing fat in a very safe way, so it's tucked away

0:47:090:47:14

and isn't filling fat into other parts of the body.

0:47:140:47:17

OK, so if you've got fat around the legs

0:47:170:47:19

and the thighs and the bottom, is that fat good or neutral?

0:47:190:47:23

I think it's good and there is a good body of evidence

0:47:230:47:28

to suggest that it is actually beneficial to have that fat.

0:47:280:47:31

It's very paradoxical. The more of it you have, the better it is.

0:47:310:47:34

OK, that is paradoxical

0:47:340:47:36

because the assumption is that all fat is bad beyond a certain point

0:47:360:47:39

and you're saying that if you put on fat down here, it is positively good,

0:47:390:47:43

-and is that true for men and women?

-Yes, it is.

0:47:430:47:47

Do you actually have evidence that that is good for you?

0:47:470:47:49

The evidence comes from large epidemiological studies,

0:47:490:47:53

so it's fairly consistently been demonstrated

0:47:530:47:56

that the wider the hips, the more healthy you are,

0:47:560:48:00

the less diabetes you have, the less cardiovascular disease you have.

0:48:000:48:05

-I'm aware that if you have a large waist...

-Yes?

0:48:050:48:09

..then that puts you at significant risk of developing type 2 diabetes,

0:48:090:48:12

but if you have a large waist but you have even larger hips,

0:48:120:48:16

-would you that suggest your diabetes risk goes down?

-Yes.

0:48:160:48:19

There is at least one study strongly suggesting that,

0:48:190:48:22

and we have our own unpublished data showing the same thing,

0:48:220:48:27

so I think one can make a good case for that claim.

0:48:270:48:30

So, if you're a woman and you have a BMI of, say, 28, 29,

0:48:300:48:38

you have quite bit hips compared to your waist,

0:48:380:48:40

is there any evidence that if you lose weight

0:48:400:48:43

that might actually be bad for you?

0:48:430:48:45

No, that study has not been performed,

0:48:450:48:47

so that evidence is not there,

0:48:470:48:49

but you can also turn around the question and say,

0:48:490:48:53

well, that woman with a BMI of 30 and the wide hip,

0:48:530:48:58

possibly doesn't have any complications

0:48:580:49:01

of being moderately overweight, so where is the evidence to lose weight

0:49:010:49:07

when you have no complications of your obesity?

0:49:070:49:09

So, Professor Karpe isn't convinced of the benefits

0:49:090:49:14

of always losing weight, even if your BMI is a bit high,

0:49:140:49:18

and he believes that fat on the bum and thighs is actually good

0:49:180:49:21

for us and can cancel out some of the bad effects of fat on the belly.

0:49:210:49:26

It's a pretty radical view and not one that's shared by everyone.

0:49:260:49:30

Professor Nicholas Finer is a consultant in Endocrinology

0:49:320:49:35

and Bariatric Medicine at University College Hospital, London.

0:49:350:49:40

So if you have a BMI over 25, you're technically overweight -

0:49:400:49:44

is losing weight always a good thing?

0:49:440:49:47

Well, I would say that, yes, it is, except perhaps in the elderly,

0:49:470:49:52

and it may not be a good thing in people who are already ill.

0:49:520:49:57

So what are the benefits of losing weight

0:49:570:49:59

if you have a BMI of, say, over 30?

0:49:590:50:01

There are enormous benefits and we have very good evidence of this.

0:50:010:50:05

We know that the risks of diabetes are reduced by as little

0:50:050:50:09

as a 5% weight loss.

0:50:090:50:11

We know that the risks of heart disease,

0:50:110:50:13

of breathing problems at night, are improved.

0:50:130:50:17

We know that, actually, quality of life improves,

0:50:170:50:20

so the evidence for the benefits of weight loss,

0:50:200:50:22

I think, is overwhelming.

0:50:220:50:24

Where it is problematic

0:50:240:50:26

-is in that normal range and slightly overweight range.

-So 25 to 30?

-Yeah.

0:50:260:50:30

And what we do know is that fat in different places

0:50:300:50:33

-has different risks.

-And where is the worst place to have it?

0:50:330:50:36

Almost certainly the worst place to have it is in your belly.

0:50:360:50:39

That is the wrong type of fat, which causes consequences

0:50:390:50:43

such as diabetes, hypertension, fatty liver disease.

0:50:430:50:46

-Do you think that some fat can be healthy?

-Oh, absolutely.

0:50:460:50:52

I mean, first of all, we need energy stores in our body,

0:50:520:50:55

so we need some fat, so storing fat is necessary,

0:50:550:51:00

but we don't need as much as most of us have.

0:51:000:51:03

In terms of, say, fat on the buttocks and the lower part,

0:51:030:51:07

do you believe that they're protective?

0:51:070:51:09

We're not in a position, if you like, to do a prospective study

0:51:090:51:13

where we get people to either store fat down there

0:51:130:51:16

or store fat in the belly and that would really be,

0:51:160:51:19

it would seem to me, the way to answer that question.

0:51:190:51:22

And in terms of the hip-to-waist ratio,

0:51:220:51:25

do you ever measure it in your patients?

0:51:250:51:27

At an individual clinical level, I don't like waist-to-hip ratio

0:51:270:51:30

and the reason for that is that a waist-to-hip ratio doesn't change

0:51:300:51:33

when you lose weight, because if you lose weight from your waist

0:51:330:51:36

and from your hips, it comes down.

0:51:360:51:38

And in terms of your age, I've seen studies which suggest that

0:51:380:51:42

after the age of, say, 65, then a BMI of 25 to 30 is possibly protective.

0:51:420:51:48

Yes.

0:51:480:51:49

Things change as you get older.

0:51:490:51:51

OK, as you get older, the ratio of fat to lean tissue may change,

0:51:510:51:57

so people may have not only excess fat,

0:51:570:52:00

but particularly low levels of lean tissue.

0:52:000:52:03

-Yes, muscle.

-Yes, muscle and bone.

0:52:030:52:06

And if these people lose weight, they may lose some fat,

0:52:060:52:10

but they may end up with unhealthily low levels of lean body mass.

0:52:100:52:16

So you don't think there's a real paradox there at all?

0:52:160:52:19

The problem is

0:52:190:52:20

when you start applying this to the population as a whole.

0:52:200:52:23

We know that as BMI goes up, the risk of diabetes,

0:52:230:52:27

heart disease, etc, all increase,

0:52:270:52:30

and there are large numbers of prospective studies that show that.

0:52:300:52:35

We know that weight loss improves all of those parameters.

0:52:350:52:39

Professor Finer believes total fat loss is always a good thing

0:52:400:52:45

if you are obese by a measure of BMI,

0:52:450:52:47

but BMI is the best measure we currently have,

0:52:470:52:50

and you can't argue with the links between BMI and disease risk.

0:52:500:52:55

So, after hearing the evidence on both sides, time for me

0:52:560:52:59

to decide what I believe.

0:52:590:53:01

Well, that was absolutely fascinating.

0:53:030:53:05

Professor Karpe obviously believes that if you're pear-shaped,

0:53:050:53:08

there are lots of advantages.

0:53:080:53:09

Professor Finer thinks it is absolutely pointless

0:53:090:53:11

measuring your waist and your hips.

0:53:110:53:14

I think I go with Professor Karpe on this one.

0:53:140:53:16

As to how much fat is too much, well, both of them agreed -

0:53:160:53:20

it depends on whether it is making you sick,

0:53:200:53:23

then that is too much and you should do something about it.

0:53:230:53:27

Over the past month, we've been running an experiment

0:53:360:53:39

to test a brand-new theory, that men burn more fat through the day

0:53:390:53:43

if they've exercised on an empty stomach

0:53:430:53:46

and women if they've exercised after eating.

0:53:460:53:49

Three mornings a week, two groups of volunteers

0:53:500:53:53

have been on an identical programme of exercise.

0:53:530:53:56

They've also had an identical liquid breakfast -

0:53:560:53:59

one group before they exercised and the other group after.

0:53:590:54:04

-How did you find the whole process?

-I enjoyed it, yeah.

0:54:040:54:07

Zumba on a Friday morning is definitely an eye-opener.

0:54:070:54:09

Felt better, slept better, performed better.

0:54:090:54:13

-What time were you waking up in the morning?

-About 6.15 in the morning.

0:54:130:54:16

-Do you think you'll stick to that?

-No.

0:54:160:54:19

Prior to this, I probably had the fitness levels of a pork scratching,

0:54:200:54:23

-but now I feel like I'm much fitter.

-Yeah?

0:54:230:54:25

Much more lively, a healthier pork scratching.

0:54:250:54:28

So our volunteers are certainly feeling fitter,

0:54:300:54:34

but is there any difference in how they're burning fat?

0:54:340:54:36

Before our volunteers started the experiment, Adam Collins took

0:54:380:54:42

a baseline measurement of how much fat they were burning at rest.

0:54:420:54:46

Now he's repeating that measurement.

0:54:460:54:48

Each volunteer will find out if they're burning more or less fat

0:54:480:54:52

than when they started.

0:54:520:54:54

It's time for the results.

0:54:560:54:58

First up, the group who exercised after eating.

0:54:580:55:02

Men on my left and women on my right. Now open your envelopes.

0:55:020:55:08

Those of you that have got the same, so you burnt the same amount of fat,

0:55:080:55:12

just stay where you are.

0:55:120:55:13

Those of you that were worse, take a step back.

0:55:130:55:17

Those of you that were better, take a step forward.

0:55:170:55:21

Most of the men are now burning less fat

0:55:220:55:25

compared to when they started,

0:55:250:55:27

whereas most of the women are burning more.

0:55:270:55:31

Group 2, you're on.

0:55:310:55:33

This group exercised on an empty stomach.

0:55:340:55:37

Compared to the last group, the men are burning more fat

0:55:370:55:40

and the women are burning less.

0:55:400:55:43

On average, the women were nearly 22% better off

0:55:430:55:47

exercising after eating

0:55:470:55:49

and the men were 8% better off exercising on an empty stomach.

0:55:490:55:55

So what can explain the difference between the sexes?

0:55:560:56:00

Since this is a brand-new finding, we're not yet sure,

0:56:000:56:03

but it may have something to do with the way our bodies handle

0:56:030:56:07

the different types of food we use as fuel - carbohydrates and fat.

0:56:070:56:12

Both men and women will store carbohydrate in muscle

0:56:120:56:16

and men have more muscle than women,

0:56:160:56:19

so they have got a greater capacity to store and utilise carbohydrates.

0:56:190:56:24

So they're really designed to burn carbohydrate preferentially,

0:56:240:56:28

compared to women.

0:56:280:56:29

So men are built to burn carbs and if they eat before they exercise,

0:56:300:56:36

they'll have such a ready supply of carbohydrates

0:56:360:56:39

that that's mainly what their bodies will use

0:56:390:56:42

and the effects last throughout the day,

0:56:420:56:44

so to avoid this and burn more fat instead,

0:56:440:56:48

they need to do their exercise on an empty stomach.

0:56:480:56:51

And the women?

0:56:510:56:53

Women have more body fat and less muscle mass,

0:56:530:56:56

so women, if you feed them carbohydrate,

0:56:560:56:59

they still will be able to burn fat

0:56:590:57:02

because they're better designed to burn fat during exercise.

0:57:020:57:05

And our results suggest that women actually burn more fat

0:57:080:57:12

if they've done exercise after eating.

0:57:120:57:14

# The female of the species is more deadly than the male... #

0:57:140:57:20

What I've seen here has been really startling.

0:57:200:57:24

When it comes to burning fat, it seems what's good for the goose

0:57:240:57:28

isn't necessarily good for the gander.

0:57:280:57:31

Women should definitely eat before they exercise

0:57:310:57:34

and men should eat after.

0:57:340:57:37

Getting this right can help us to lose that spare tyre

0:57:370:57:41

and become healthier into the bargain.

0:57:410:57:44

So when it comes to exercise, we've discovered some very useful cheats.

0:57:540:57:58

It's important to keep your muscles strong, as well as getting a workout,

0:57:580:58:03

but you can do that with just a few well-spent minutes at home.

0:58:030:58:07

Protein supplements and fancy sports drinks are a waste of money.

0:58:070:58:11

And when you do your workout - if you're a woman, do it after eating,

0:58:110:58:15

whilst if you're a man, do it on an empty stomach.

0:58:150:58:19

That way you'll be burning more fat for many hours afterwards.

0:58:190:58:22

That's it from Manchester.

0:58:240:58:26

Next time, we're in Surrey where we're finding out

0:58:260:58:29

if simply changing the time of day you eat can make you healthier...

0:58:290:58:33

..asking could diet products be making you fat,

0:58:340:58:38

and how much is too much alcohol?

0:58:380:58:40

# I just made an appointment for a special rendezvous

0:58:480:58:53

# To see a man of miracles and all that he can do

0:58:530:58:57

# Doctor, I want you

0:59:030:59:05

# Mmm, my doctor wanna do

0:59:050:59:07

# I can't get over you

0:59:070:59:10

# Doctor, do anything that you wanna do. #

0:59:100:59:13

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